Chapter Nine

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Arms linked, we followed the path down to Mendel's front entrance. Gracie was making the most of her yellow plastic teeth, smiling at people she knew ... and people she didn't know. A couple of faces looked familiar, but I hadn't met many students yet. I was so deep-down grateful to Opal and Gracie for being so damned generous with their friendship. More than anything, I couldn't imagine facing Meta alone.

I was still texting my friends back home, but they were starting to feel farther and farther away. They knew I was enrolled at a fancy prep school ... minus a few pertinent details about Mendel's students, and me. As the days passed, my casual omissions piled up higher than my confessions.  How could I explain something I barely understood myself?

The school crest stared down at us as we reached the frosted glass doors. My heartbeat bounced and I held on to Opal and Gracie's arms a little bit tighter. Which PACK quadrant would I fall into ... and what did it all mean?

"Hey Opes, you think Noura's here yet?" Gracie's hillbilly teeth had disappeared into the pocket of her jeans.

"Yeah, she texted me last night. Her flight got in late from Saudi. Dean Hawthorne wasn't thrilled she missed orientation, but whatevs." Opal shrugged. She'd spun her hair into an intricate braid that hung halfway down her back.

"Who's Noura?" They hadn't mentioned her before, but it wasn't like we'd spent a ton of time together yet.

"Noura's a princess, Moth."

I blinked. "Really?"

"No. Not really, silly. She just acts like one. If Noura was an animal, she'd be a cat. Right, Gracie?" Opal raised an eyebrow, waiting for Gracie's diagnosis.

"Oh yeah. Noura's totally feline. But once she decides she likes you, she'll totally love you up. It just takes a while. You'll see, Marin. She's cool beans." Gracie squeezed her right eye shut in an exaggerated wink, coaxing me to smile.

We joined a line of students climbing the glass-encased staircase and I held my breath as we scaled the steps.

Geez, Marin. Chill already.

Why did grabbing dinner feel like a major event?  My stomach growled and my fingers tingled simultaneously. Hunger and nerves weren't a great combination. Meta was a big deal, but I was more worried about making a good impression on the other kids than unraveling my genetic potential.

Late afternoon sunlight streamed through the great hall's arched windows, splashing against the glass hurricane lamps hanging from the ceiling and casting shadows against the rugged stone walls.

The enormous room had been reconfigured with long wooden tables that filled the space where we'd met for mimosas and smoothies the day before. Food stations lined the walls and the smell of fresh-baked bread hovered in the air. I clapped my hand over my growling stomach, thankful its protests were drowned out by the busy crowd.

"Opal! Gracie!" A lean girl with long ebony hair strode toward us. Her tawny skin gleamed, her teeth impossibly white. She wore a petite diamond stud in her left nostril and a pair of expensive sunglasses on her head.

"Noura!" They squealed in unison, untangling their arms from mine and tripping over each other to wrap the girl in a massive hug. I stood beside them, trying not to look awkward as I waited for their giggles to subside.

Gracefully extracting herself from her friends' anxious arms, Noura looked over at me and raised a sculpted brow.

"Who's this?" She was very clearly talking about me, not to me.

My cheeks burned. If she was a princess, her icy stare made me feel like a poser. Instead of crumbling under her inspection, I grit my teeth, planted my feet and met her haughty gaze instead.

"This is Marin. She's our new friend." Opal spoke up, emphasizing the word "our". Her raised chin issued a silent challenge for Noura to say otherwise.

Noura looked at me for a minute, her dark-lashed eyes narrowing as she assessed my face. Shrugging, she turned to smile at Opal. "To each their own, of course. Look, I'm starving. Let's grab some food and meet up at the usual spot. Don't worry, we'll save a seat for our new friend." Voice dripping with sarcasm, she grabbed Opal's arm and paraded her away to the food stalls.

Gracie whispered in my ear, "Okay, so I guess Noura's kind of a bitch when you first meet her, but I promise she'll grow on you."

"Kind of a bitch? If that's what 'kind of' looks like, I'd hate to see her version of 'total bitch'." Nails biting into my palms, I gave a healthy dose of side-eye to Noura's back as she slunk further away.

"Oh Marin, you're hilarious." Slinging her long arm around my shoulder, Gracie pulled me toward the lineup for food.

"I'm going to grab a grilled cheese. Catch you in a few." With a wink, she sauntered off, leaving me to walk the stalls.

Balancing a fully loaded tray, I craned my neck to see where Opal and Gracie had gone, when someone propped open a door. Suddenly, tendrils of music began seeping into the great hall, feathering my vision with shades of purple, gold, and teal.

Caught off-guard, my center of gravity shifted and I felt my tray tip as I breathed the color away.

Oh no.

I squeezed my eyes shut, anticipating an embarrassing crash that didn't come. Peeking through my lashes, I saw a pair of large hands effortlessly grab the tray and catch my water bottle before it fell to the floor. Looking up, I realized the blue eyes accompanying the helping hands were familiar.

I cringed. Not again.

"So, I'm guessing coordination's maybe not your thing?" The broad smile seemed intent on teasing me. My face was on fire, and I quickly grabbed the tray and water bottle back.

"Thanks," I muttered. "And no, coordination's not my thing. Obviously."

Eyes widening, he backtracked. "Hey — I'm kidding. I saw you needed a hand, that's all. No big deal. Nice to see you again, by the way... Marin, right?"

My shoulders slumped. I didn't mean to snap at him. "Yeah, that's me. I'm sorry — it's been a long couple of days." My sigh felt like it weighed a hundred pounds. "And yes, I'm totally clumsy. It's just part of my charm, I guess." Wrinkling my nose, I tried to look contrite. "It's nice to see you again too, Archer."

Dinner's not starting out on the right foot. How would you respond to Noura? And would you be glad to see Archer again? Please vote, comment and share if you're enjoying Project Alpha!

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